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Planetary News: SMART-1 (2006)

NASA to Take Part in Indian Lunar Mission

By Amir Alexander
12 May 2006

In an encouraging sign of growing international cooperation in space exploration, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin signed an agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to include two NASA instruments on the Indian lunar probe Chandrayaan-1. Griffin is currently in India, touring ISRO facilities with an eye for further opportunities for cooperation in the future.

"It is my hope and belief that as we extend the reach of human civilization throughout the solar system, the United States and India will be partners on many more technically challenging and scientifically rewarding projects" Griffin said at the signing ceremony in Bangalore.

The announcement came only days after The Planetary Society hosted an international panel on lunar exploration at the ISDC 06 conference in Los Angeles. The session included representatives from China, India, Japan, and the United States, all of which plan to launch lunar missions within the next few years, and the European Union, which is currently operating the lunar orbiter SMART-1. All the participants touted the value of international exchanges in space exploration and discussed the best models for future cooperation between different space agencies.

Chandrayaan-1, Indian Lunar Orbiter
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Chandrayaan-1, Indian Lunar Orbiter

NASA's contributions to the Chandrayaan-1 include the Moon Mineralogy Mapper instrument, designed to assess mineral resources on the Moon, and Mini-SAR, which will search for ice deposits around the Moon's poles. Among Chandrayaan-1's ten instruments are also several contributed by the European Space Agency (ESA).

Chandrayaan-1 is India's first attempt to send a spacecraft beyond Earth orbit sine ISRO was founded in 1969. It is planned to launch in early 2008 and orbit the Moon for approximately 2 years at an altitude of 100 kilometers above the surface. The orbiter will weigh 1,050 kilograms (about 2,300 pounds), including a 55-kilogram (120-pound) instrument package and a 30-kilogram (65-pound) probe designed to penetrate the lunar surface.